HEATHROW DROP-OFF CHARGE
Sort the Heathrow Terminal Drop-Off Charge in seconds. Download Caura’s app now to pay.
Pay Heathrow Drop-Off charges with Caura
Dropping passengers at London Heathrow departures?
You’ll get charged £5 every time you enter the drop-off zone. So before you decide to be a good friend and take someone to the airport, get up to speed with how the drop-off system works. Then sort your payment in seconds with Caura.
Download Caura’s app, find Heathrow Drop-Off Charge and pay in in two taps. Simple.
What is the Heathrow Drop-Off charge?
With an average of 1,300 daily flights every day, Heathrow has thousands of passengers arriving by car or taxi. If they’re not parking in long-stay car parks, chances are they’re getting dropped off at one of Heathrow’s designated zones.
The charges for these zones only recently came into force in 2021. The fees are part of the airport’s plan to reduce airport traffic and improve air quality by discouraging extra vehicles. The spare income from this charge goes towards sustainability initiatives, helping reduce overall airport fees. Pretty cool.
All you need to know
The drop-off zones operate through an automated number plate recognition system, meaning no barriers. Just pull up in a free bay, and the charge automatically incurs. The charges do not apply to pick-ups, there are different pick-up areas inside the terminal car parks.
Drop-off charging times
The charges are in effect 24/7, every day of the year.
How much to enter drop-off zone?
The charge for using a Heathrow terminal drop-off zone is £5. You’ll be charged per drop-off, which means you pay each you enter the zone.
Fines for not paying the charge
If you don’t pay the charge, you’ll receive an £80 parking charge notice (PCN). But, this gets reduced to £40 if you pay it within 14 days.
Heathrow Drop-Off exemptions
All valid Blue Badge holders are eligible for a full discount. If this applies to you, you don’t need to own the vehicle you’re dropped off in, including a taxi ride. However, you’ll need to apply for the discount online, referencing details of your travels, including your vehicle registration number, visit date, badge and flight number.
Other exemptions:
- Emergency service vehicles
- Military vehicles
- Roadside recovery vehicles
- Two-wheeled motorbikes
- Taxis actively licensed with London Taxi and Private Hire (TPH)
Avoid the fee altogether by dropping off your passenger in one of the Long Stay car parks, where they can take a free bus to the terminal.
Pay your clean air charges in seconds
Where are the passenger drop off zones at Heathrow?
Each drop-off zone is located in front of the terminal building in the terminal forecourt. You will see clear signs on the roads around the airport grounds informing you of the chargeable zones.
Pay the Heathrow drop-off charge with Caura
It only takes two taps to pay the Heathrow Drop-Off charge with Caura. Simply download the app, enter your number plate, tap the Heathrow Drop-Off Charge and pay.
Payments can also be made in advance, on the day of, or by midnight the following day. Any advance payment will be valid for up to 12 months.
Caura is the only app you need
If you live near Heathrow, then chances are you can benefit from other Caura features too. It's the easiest way to manage vehicle tax, insurance and MOT. It's also the fastest way to pay the Dartford Crossing charge, and city charges like the London ULEZ and Congestion Charges.
Two tap payments via Apple or Google Pay, Caura simplifies car admin.
Questions?
Find answers to common questions here. If you can't find what you're looking for then email us on support@caura.com and we'll get back to you.
My account
Do I have to sign up to access Caura?
Yes. To enjoy the benefits of Caura, like timely reminders for tax and insurance, and ultrafast city charge and toll payments, you’ll need to create an account. This is so we can let you know about important expiry dates and booking details.
Can I change the email address I use for Caura?
You can’t currently change your email address on Caura (but we are working on it). As a workaround, you can log out of your current account and sign up with a new email address. We won’t be able to transfer the history over.
What happens if I forget my account credentials?
Easily done. Just tap ‘Forgot Password’ on the Log In screen - we’ll send you a password reset link via your registered email address. If you used your Google or Apple profile details (instead of an email address) to create your account, you’ll need to continue to use this sign-in method.
My account has been suspended, why?
Your account may be suspended as a precaution if we see evidence of fraud or a violation of our terms of service. Please email support@caura.com or send us a message in-app, and we can investigate this with you.
How do I delete my account?
Please email support@caura.com or send us a message in-app, and we can take care of that for you. Please feel free to let us know why you want to leave, as we’re always working to improve Caura for drivers like you.
Managing vehicles
How do I add or remove vehicles from my account?
To add a vehicle, simply swipe to the left on your current vehicle or tap the ‘+’ icon on the Home screen. To remove a vehicle, tap and hold on the vehicle image.
My vehicle cannot be found when I add my number plate, why not?
All vehicles registered with the DVLA should show on Caura. Please make sure you are entering a valid number plate recognised by the DVLA. If the problem persists please email support@caura.com.
Why can’t I see my updated vehicle details (e.g. tax, MOT) on Caura?
If you have made the update on Caura (e.g. paid for tax on Caura), it should update automatically within a few days. If it doesn't, you can pull down the image of your vehicle from the Home screen, which will refresh the app.
Managing payment methods
How do I add or remove a payment method?
You can add, remove and set your default payment method via the Payment Methods screen, accessed via the Account tab. To remove a payment method, swipe it to the left. To set a payment method as the default option, swipe it to the right.
What if I need to change my AutoPay payment method?
Go to your AutoPay account in-app (by going to the City Charges screen). From your AutoPay account, tap the current payment method selected. You can then choose to change your payment method tied to your AutoPay, either select an existing payment method or add a new card to Caura.
Roads & Tolls
Which tolls can I pay for on Caura?
Currently, you can quickly and easily pay for the following tolls and charges in two taps on Caura:
- Dart Charge (Dartford Crossing)
- Tyne Tunnels
- Merseyflow charges (Mersey Gateway or Silver Jubilee Bridge)
You can find out more about tolls and charges here.
Does Caura charge an additional fee?
Caura charges no additional fee to pay toll charges, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider.
Do all vehicles have to pay these tolls?
For some tolls, certain types of vehicles may face different charges or be exempt from paying any charge altogether. For example, motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes are all exempt from the Dart Charge.
Currently on Caura, we only show the Roads & Tolls charges to select vehicles that have to pay a given rate.
How do I know if I have to pay a toll?
All of the Roads & Tolls on Caura use ANPR to automatically detect when your vehicle has driven through the charging zone. If your vehicle is liable you will have to pay for each time you make a trip through the toll area. Look out for signs to signal when you’re entering the toll zone.
For some tolls, certain types of vehicles may face different charges or be exempt from paying any charge altogether. For example, motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes are all exempt from the Dart Charge. You can learn more about each charge and the price vehicles have to pay here.
Can I pay for tolls in advance?
Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake.
What happens if I pay for the wrong toll or wrong day by mistake?
If you’ve paid for the wrong charge, or the wrong day, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund.
Do I have to make multiple bookings for multiple trips in the same day?
Yes - you have to pay for each time you make a trip through a toll area.
For example, if you drive both there and back on your journey across the Tyne Tunnels, then you will need to make two payments for the two separate trips through the tunnels.
Don’t worry, making multiple payments can be done in just one tap on Caura.
Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?
You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.
Airport Drop-Off charges
What Airport Drop-Off charges does Caura cover?
Currently Caura lets you quickly and easily pay the Heathrow Drop-Off charge in two taps. Head to the Roads & Tolls screen in-app to pay for your visit.
P.s. we’re working hard to bring more Airport Drop-Off charges to Caura, so watch this space.
Where can I view my payment receipts in Caura?
You can view any payments you’ve made by going to the History tab in Caura. Tap on any payment in the list to view more detail. From there, you can even export a receipt to your email.
Does Caura charge an additional fee?
Caura charges no additional fee to pay Airport Drop-Off charges, or to make any other transaction via the app. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider.
What happens if I pay for the wrong day by mistake?
If you’ve paid for the wrong day, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer a refund. We don’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made it goes straight to the end provider. We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund.
Can I pay for the Drop-Off charge in advance?
Currently, you can pay for either today, tomorrow or yesterday in-app on Caura. Make sure you pay for the right date for any trips you make, as we’re unable to offer a refund for any payments made for the wrong day by mistake.
Heathrow Drop-Off charge
How does the Heathrow Drop-Off charge work?
Every time you drive into the Heathrow Drop-Off charging zone you’ll need to pay £5.
You can pay for any visit for either today, yesterday or tomorrow in-app.
Head to the Roads & Tolls screen in-app to pay for your visit.
How much is the Heathrow Drop-Off charge?
It costs £5 per drop-off. You will receive an £80 parking charge notice if you fail to pay (reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days).
Who has to pay for the Heathrow Drop-Off charge?
Any vehicle that drives into the Heathrow Drop-Off charging zone has to pay £5 per visit, except for exempt vehicles. Pay in two taps on Caura.
Where are Heathrow’s Drop-Off zones?
Each drop-off zone is located in front of the terminal building in the terminal forecourt. You will see clear signs on the roads around the airport grounds informing you of chargeable zones.
Will I be charged for picking up at Heathrow?
No, the charges only apply for drop-off. There are designated pick-up areas inside the terminal car parks.
Can I pay for Heathrow Drop-Off charges online?
Yes, it’s currently the only way to pay other than via telephone. Caura is the quickest way to pay.
What vehicles are exempt from Heathrow Drop-off charges?
Valid Blue Badge holders are exempt, as well as military vehicles, emergency vehicles, roadside recovery vehicles and two-wheeled motorbikes, along with taxis that are actively licensed with London Taxi and Private Hire (TPH).